Popcorn stirring and coating machine.



1). PALMER. POPCORN STIRRING AND' QQATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nLnn oo'w. 16, 1913.

- 'ATTORNEY WITNE Zj Patented -J une'2 19151.;

ENE

** rains earnr onrrc THOMAS n. PALMER, or rHILADnLrHm, rnNNsYLvnNrA.

roroonn s'rrnnruc AND ooA'rrNc MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Pa tent.

Patented June 2, 1914.

Application filed October 16, 1913. Serial No. 795,451.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS D. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of- Philadelphia lates particularly to the formation of the stirring and coating device and to a mechanical arrangement employed 1n connection therewith for raislng and lowering 'to or from the container or vessel,

for expediting thorough coating of the pop-corn, prior to its being balled for sale or use; the arrangement of the stirring device'permitting of mechanical actuation of the same and having in connection therewith means to permit of the manual lifting and lowering of the device to or from the stirring and coating container or vessel and the stirring device mechanicallyarranged so as vto continually lift and turn the pop-corn during saturating or coating of the syrup compound or mixture therewith to thereby quickly and thoroughly finish the same, for balling and packaging for sale or use.-

Hitherto is was customary in practice to manually churn or stir the-syrup mass withthe pop-corn, but this was not only tedious,

' slow and unsatisfactory with respect to the character of the coating as well as difiic'ult to get workmen for such work andto retain them long, but according to my present invention mechanically arranged as above ex plained, in a few seconds the coating of-the pop-corn in conjunction with the thorough stirring of the syrup composition mass'therewith is most eificiently accomplished and a far better and more salable product provided, as practice of my said invention has demonstrated. v

My invention stated in general terms, consists of a pop-corn stirring and coating machine constructively arranged for operation in substantially the manner hereinafter described aud claimed with a gear wheel a Thr nature and scope as well as characteristic features of my present invention will be more fully understood from the follow ing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of a popcorn stirring -and coating machine embodymg In respect to constructive arrangement of the stirring and coating device, with the -mechanical means for actuating'the same and the manual means for raising and lower-- ing said device to and from the syrup composition or mixture container or vessel, es.- sentialmain features of my said invention; and Fig. 2, is anenlarged elevation of the stirring and coating device removed'from its vertical supporting rod, showing the structural arrangement of the same.

Referring to the drawings, a, is a table having an opening for the reception and support of a flanged vessel 6, for containing a syrup compound or mixture for saturating or coating pop-corn therewith.

o, is a vertical standard preferably located at one end of the table a, for example as illustrated in Fig. 1. This standard carries a bracliet d, for an electric motor e, the shaft c of which carries a pinion e meshing The shaft 6 of this gear wheel is yournaled in bearings e, of an extended portion of said standard a, and

is provided on the end with a miter-gear e meshing with a complemental gear (a and splined thereto at 6?, and extending through the body a of saidgear e", i a vertical channel supporting shaft or rod 1, having a cord or wire 9, passing over a series of pulleys g and with a Weight 9 on the end thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, to

raise and lower manually said shaft or rod f, carrying detachably connected therewith the stirring and coating device it. This device consists of a block-like portion at the lower corner 72. forming a turning means for the solid -matter mixed with the syrup compound or mixture of the vessel 6, and hav.

ing its rear edge beveled at h as shown.

in Fig. 2, and terminating in a narrow longitudinal arm k beveled 0d at the lower free end if, and from the lower corner 7: is formed integral therewith a right angular extension or arm h", Fig. 2, and through bearings 7L6 and it", provided on one side of.

the upper and lower arms of the said device is inserted the unchaimeled portion of the said shaft or rod 7, which is held securely thereto by means of set screws 1. The particular arrangement shown and as above described of the stirring and coating device it, permits when it is manually inserted into the fluid syrup compound or mass of the container 7), and composed in varying proportions of sugar, molasses, butter, honey, cane juice and glucose or other equivalent materials and pop-corn of the rapid mechanical operation of the said device to turn the corn and churn the syrup compound mixture thoroughly or "completely therewith so as t0 efiiciently as well as quickly coat the corn,. when by drawing on the cord or wire 5 the said device can be lifted free of the vessel b, supported from the table a,.for clean" ing or providing another supply of syrup compound for treating the corn for thorough coating, when it is removed onto the table a, for balling or forminginto other shapes for shipment or use.

Having thus described the nature and obaccesses jects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I In a machine of the character described, a positively actuated vertical shaft having a groove therein engaging the key of a part of the actuating means therefor having provision at the upper extremityvfor attachment of means for manual raising and lowering of said shaft and at the lower extremity provided with amixing and stirring device, detachably connected therewith, and consisting of two arms forming the mixing element of said device unconnected with each other at one end and at the opposite end connected and formed into a curved enlargement depending from the lower of said arms and beyond the same to form thestirring element of said device, substantially as 

